A lone figure sat in the darkened office, lit only by the light of the moon. The office itself was an exemplary show of tasteful masculinity. The furnishings were obviously of considerable value, reflecting the success of the inhabitant. But this successfulness brought him little satisfaction. His success was a matter of course. He was Lord of the Western Lands after all. Though his lands had changed, he still held power, though now it was through financial success and not due to his inherent powers. Between his elegant fingers he rolled a small round object as he stared unseeing out of his glass office.
She cried herself to sleep every night.
There were many nights that Sesshoumaru came so close to breaking his resolution. He had been glad when she had finally stopped crying herself to sleep. Ironically, although he was glad, the fact that she had stopped crying herself to sleep also worried him. Often, as he stood watching her sleep he would find himself doubting the wisdom of his decision. What if she forgot him? Gave up on a love that she thought could not be? Because as far as Kagome knew, he could have died long ago, for in her world youkai no longer existed.
Sesshoumaru knew this was not true however. He was living proof that youkai existed in the modern world. There were others, of course. They had chosen different ways of dealing with this world that no longer believed in them. Some of their kind had chosen to remain in the places that continued to be sacred from human technology. Some chose to live as humans, marrying and breeding with great care. A child who was hanyou could be dangerous as had been demonstrated by Inuyasha.
Then there were those that believed in them. And those that believed in youkai were more dangerous than the unbelievers. There were those who would have them caged and studied. Sesshoumaru's lips twisted wryly at the inhumanity of humans. And they call us monsters. There were also those who would worship them as gods. Those ignorant factions Sesshoumaru paid no heed to.
Of those who chose to live in human civilization, an oxymoron if there ever was one, there were those who chose to be either low profile or high profile. Sesshoumaru had chosen the latter type of lifestyle. He had learned that in this human world money was power. Being who he was he would of course choose to be in possession of power. Amassing a vast fortune had been of little difficulty. Establishing a company that flourished had taken some doing but he had become a success in this human dominated world.
He had even learned to look like them when he wished to blend in. Through a chain of trusted servants he was rarely ever required to appear before anyone. Because of his rare appearances in society his lack of aging was easily hidden. Every so often, it would be announced that the CEO had passed on and the inheritor was now in charge. Of course the new CEO would be just as eccentric as the last in that he rarely showed himself. Now he merely held human form out of habit as he watched the moon.
He had given her one year. One year from the day that she returned to her world against her will. He had waited all these centuries. What was one more year? It was selfish but he would know if she would get over him as quickly as she had gotten over Inuyasha. The great Lord Sesshoumaru, insecure, who would have thought one human would have such a hold over him?
He had been there at her birth and had watched over her as she grew up. He had known when it was her first time to travel through the well. He had suffered, being unable to interfere although he knew she would be in danger. It was little comfort knowing that she would come through it safely. He had also suffered through the moments she had with Inuyasha. Even knowing that she would choose him, he had felt the bite of jealousy. Then came the day where everything had come full circle. The day Kagome returned to her world unwillingly.
Sesshoumaru remembered the devastated look on Kagome's face when she realized that she stood in her own courtyard. When he saw her fall in a faint he had clenched his fist so tightly to keep from running to her side that he had bled. He had been about to give in to his instincts and rush to her side, but luckily her grandfather was there. The old man had immediately dropped his sweeping and rushed over to his granddaughter. He had alerted the rest of her family and they had quickly brought her into the house. At that point, Sesshoumaru had almost gone crazy with worry. Thankfully, he had heard the relieved sighs as Kagome regained consciousness. Amid worried questions from her family members Kagome was silent. Then, he heard her raggedly sobbing as she fell into her mother's arms. Sesshoumaru had left then, knowing she was in good hands.
Sesshoumaru looked up at the familiar bright moon. The sight was unchanged and he revisited the memory of sitting with Kagome in his arms under the same moon. The day of their reunion was at hand. Tomorrow
* * * * * *
Kagome lay quietly listening to the morning, not yet willing to open her eyes. It was early yet and her alarm hadn't even sounded yet. She didn't know what it was that woke her up. Kagome struggled to remember the dream she had awoken from. All that remained of the dream was a sense of anticipation. She couldn't figure out what it had been about but she was glad she had the dream. It had cheered her up and gave her a sense that something important was going to happen. Kagome hadn't felt so good in the morning in quite some time.
She no longer cried herself every night as she had for months after coming back from the Sengoku Jidai. The empty hurt still remained with her and she figured that it would always be there to some degree. She missed Sesshoumaru but she would be strong and enjoy life. He would expect it of her. Sesshoumaru valued strength of will and she took that to heart. He was in the past and she in the distant future but she would be connected to him this way.